Apparatus for cracking hydrocarbon oils



May 1936- E. c. D'YARMETT 2,040,838

APPARATUS FOR CRAC'KING HYDROCARBN OILS Original Filed Feb. 18, 1932 2sheets sheet Patented May 19, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUSFOR CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS Edward C. D'Yarmett, Atoka, Okla.

8 Claims.

My invention relates to the art of separating lighter from heaviercomponents of liquids, particularly hydrocarbon oil, by distillation,and has for its principal object to provide simple and effectiveapparatus for practice of the method disclosed and claimed in myco-pending application, Serial No. 593,'775, of which this applicationis a division.

As in my co-pending application this invention contemplates agitation ofthe oil in a heating chamber to nebulize the oil, transfer of heat fromthe wall of the heating chamber uniformly throughout cross-sectionalareas of the heating chamber by conduction through the bristles of abrush having contact with the inner surface of the chamber wall, andemployment of centrifugal force to stratify fluid content of the chamberand permit heating of the lighter components of the fluid while in theform of mist near the center of the chamber, as well as of -the heavierportions near the wall of the chamber.

Also, as in accordance with the method disclosed in my co-pendingapplication, the invention contemplates providing maximum heatingsurface to contact with the liquid and vapor content of the chamber sothat cracking may occur in both liquid and vapor phase under favorableconditions of heat and pressure.

It is an object of my invention to adapt the apparatus for combininglean Components of the cracked oil With gas rich in hydrogen to efiect ahigher yield of saturated vapor and prevent deposition of free carbonwhich might interfere with the operation of the apparatus, and tofacilitate combination of lean components of the cracked vapors withsupplied rich gases through catalysis as presently described.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I haveprovided improved details, of structure, the preferred form of which isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a central vertical section of an assembled furnace and oiltreating apparatus constructed according to my invention.

Fig. 2 is a partial horizontal section on the line 2--2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged central vertical section of the upper portion ofthe cracking tube and power unit.

55 bastion and heating chambers z-ayseparated by Fig. 4 is 'an enlargeddetail perspective of pora bridge wall 4 spac ed from the top 5 of thefurnace to form a horizontal connecting throat 6. Any suitable fuel maybe employed, and a coil l may be mounted in the furnace chamber forpreheating gas for combining with vapors of the oil under treatment orfor auxiliary heating purposes.

A damper 8 is provided for controlling normal flow of products ofcombustion through the combustion chamber 2 so as to direct more or lessof the hot combustion gases over the coils 'I as may be required beforepassing through the throat 6 into the heating chamber 3 and out throughduet 9 to stack lfl. A damper Il is provided for directing flow of thegases directly from the combustion chamber into the stack when desired.

Extending centrally through the heating chamber 3 is a. tube |2 having atop fiange !3 retained in a clamp I4 set into the top wall of the fumaceto suspend the tube centrally within the chamber 3. The tube l2 extendsthrough the bottom of the chamber wall and'is provided with a lowerflange |5 to which a bottom head !6 is attached by bolts or the like ll,the lower end of the chamber being anchored to the bottom of the furnaceby a clamp |8 attached to the furnace structure by means not shown.

Seated on the top of the tube flange !3, within the clamp !4, andanchored to the flange by bolts IS, is a covering head 20, havingacentral bore 2| and an upstanding boss 22 provided with a recess 23concentric with the bore 2| te receive packing 24 for a brush supportingand actuating shaft 25, which extends through the bore 2I and packing 24to above the annular flange 26 on the top of the boss 22. Seated on theflange 26 is a motor housing 21 having a gland 28 at its lower endwithinvthe packing recess 23 of boss 22, and provided with an upstandingcentral fiange 29 forming a cup for an anti-friction bearing 30, onemember of which is attached to the shaft 25, and the other fixed withinthe bearing cup. A collar 3| threaded to the shaft rotatably supportsthe shait on the anti-friction bearing. The shaft extends above thecollar 3| through an aperture 32 in the bottom of the housing cover 33and through the interier of a collar 34 on said cover member into a dome35 threaded onto the collar 34.

Seated on a shoulder 36 on the inner surface of the' collar 34 is ananti-friction bearing 31, one member of which is attached to the shaftto assist in rotatably aligning the shaft.

Fixed on the shaft 25 within the housing 2`| is a beveled gear wheel 38meshing with a pinion 39 on a shaft 40 (Fig. 2) rotatable from anysource of power through transmission indicated by the belt wheel 4l.

The upper end of the shaft 25 is provided with a central channel 42 forcirculation of cooling fluid supplied thereto from a pipe 43 extendedinto the channel through an aperture 44 in the dome 35 threaded onto thecollar 34 of the c'over plate 33.

Water delivered to the channel 42 is deflected laterally from the top ofthe dome 35 onto a spreading plate 46 to drop between the side wall ofthe cup and the collar 34 for outlet through apertures 41 in the cupinto the annular space between the cap and an upstanding flange 48 onthe cover plate 33, to be drawn ofi through a line 49.

The shaft 25 terminates within the upper portion of the tube |2 in athreaded end 50. A brush 5l, Suspended from the shaft 25 and extend'ngto near the bottom of the tube, preferably consists of a hollow core 52threaded onto the lower end of the shaft 25 and a plurality of brushsections 53, each consisting of a central wire ring 54 and radiatingbristles 55 of heat conduc'tive material fitted over the core and heldin compact relation between a flange 56 on the upper end of the core 52and a nut 51 on the lower end of the core. The bristles 55 arepreferably crimped at their outer ends to provide substantial surfaceareas and coated with antimony or other material capable of acting as acatalyzer for components of the cracked oil and the rich gas suppliedfor combination with unsaturates of the oil; or the bristles may be madeof material capable of acting as such a catalyzer, but having theheating conductivity required for the practice of the process.

Oil for treatment in the tube |2 is supplied from a line 58 through anopening 59 in the cover member 20 onto a deflecting ring 60 Suspendedfrom the cover member and terminating at its lower edge in slightlyspaced relation with the wall of the' tube to provide a narrow annularport 6| through which the oil is dropped onto the upper end of the brushadjacent the tube wall, the line 58 being provided with a check valve,indicated at 62, for preventing back flow of liquid and vapors when thetube is being operated under high pressures.

Combining gas may be supplied from a line 64 through the channel 65 inthe cover member 20 to the interior of the defiecting ring 60.

The bottom head |6 of the tube !2 is cupped to cooperate with the lowerportion of the tube in forming a collection chamber for vapors evolvedin the tube, and has a central outlet port 66 communicating with a line61 through which the vapors and any remaining liquid are drawn off fromthe tube, the line 61 being provided with a valve 68 for regulatingpressures in the tube.

Assuming the apparatus to be constructed and assembled as described, hotgases from the furnace flowing over the bridge wall cirulate about thetreating tube while in downflow to the outlet from the tube, and heatfrom the wall of the tube is conducted through the 'bristles of thebrush to the interior of the tube so that cross sectional areas of thetube chamber are heated to substantially uniform temperatures, thetemperatures at spaced vertical points varying downwardly from' theupper inlet to the lower outlet of the heating chamber, but temperaturesof the cross sectional areas of the chamber being held substantiallyuniform.

Liquid charging stock delivered onto the top of the brush is agitated bythe brush and centrifuged during its downward travel through the brushto nebulize the oil, the liquid content being thrown 'the brush wiresand hot wall of the tube, will change into a vapor or remain in a mistuntil sufflcient heat has been applied to cause the desired cracking. Bycontrolling the temperature of the'furnace and the rate of feed so thatthe outlet temperature of the fluid, both liquid and vapor, issuflicient to cause the desired cracking of the particular oil, thecracking operation may be controlled so as to prevent secondary crackingand the forming of coke. Furthermore, it is known to the art ofcracking, that the resultant materials from liquid and vapor phasecracking differ somewhat, and by reg'ulating the outlet valve anydesired pressure may be built up in the tube and the mist thus kept fromvaporizing until it has absorbed suflicient heat to cause cracking inthe liquid phase or the liquid and vapor phase cracking may be carriedon simultaneously. Gases, when supplied for Combining with unsaturatedcomponents of the oil within the tube, are delivered to the vapor spaceat the top of the tube for mingling with the vapors, and, passingdownwardly through the tube contact with the hot brush wires (which maybe coated with or made up of suitable material to cause catalyticaction), and the rotation of the brush causes the Combining gas and thecracked vapors to mix and commingle, thereby facilitating the compbining operation.

It is apparent that the apparatus may be adjusted for treatment ofcharging stocks at the most advantageous temperatures and pressures byregulation of the furnace and of the valves on the tube inlet and outletlines.

W hat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: i

1. Apparatus of the character described including an upright vesselcircular in cross section, a brush rotatable within the vessel includingbristles radiating from about the center of the `'vessel to contact withthe wall of .the vessel throughout a. vaporizing space within thevessel, whereby liquid charging stock is transformed to mist within thevessel in response to rotative' travel of the bristles in contact withthe liquid, means for delivering liquid charging stock to the vessel,means for heating contents of the vessel,

a rotatable shaft within and concentrlc oi the vessel, brush membersmounted on the shat, each including a horizontal series of bristles ofheat conductive material surrounding the shaftand having contact withthe wall of the vessel, means for heating the brushes, means forsupplying .charging stock to the vessel, and means for drawing offvapors from the vessel.

4. Apparatus of the character described including an upright vesselcircular in cross section, a rotatable shaft within and concentric ofthe vessel,- a. plurality of horizontal series of heat conductivebristles mounted on and surrounding the shaft and having wiping contactwith the wall of the vessel, means for heating the bristles, means forsupplying charging stock to the. vessel, and means for drawing oi vaporsfrom the vessel.

5. Apparatus of the character described including an upright vesselcircular in cross section, a rotatable shaft within and concentric ofthe vessei, a piurality of superimposed brush members, each including acenter ring mounted on the shaft and a set of bristles radiating fromthe ring to contact with the wall of the vessel, g means for heating thewall of the vessel, means for supplying charging stock to the vessel,and means for drawing off vapors from the vessel.

6. Apparatus of the character described including an upright vesselcircular in cross section, a rotatable shaft within and concentric 'ofthe vessel, a series of brush members mounted on the shaft, includingradial bristles having contact with the wall o! the vessel andsubstantiaily filling the vessel, means for delivering charging stock toone end of the vesse for contact with said bristles, means for heatingthe wall of the vessel, and means for drawing of! vapors evolved fromsaid stock by heat transfer from the vessei wall and bristles from theopposite end of the vessel.

7. Apparatus of the character described including an upright vesselcircular in cross section, a rotatable shaft within and concentric ofthe vessel, brush members mounted on the shaft, each including ahorizontal series of bristles surrounding the shaft and having contactwith the wall of the 'vessel, means for heating the brushes, means forsupplying charging stock to the vessel, means for drawing ofi vaporsfrom the vessel, and means on the end of the shaft for retaining thebrushes on the shaft.

8. Apparatus of the character described including an upright vesselcircular in cross section, a rotatable shait within and concentric ofthe vessel, brush members mounted on the shaft, each including ahorizontal series of bristles surrounding the shaft and havingcontact'with the wall of the vessel, means for heating the brushmembers, means for supplying charging stock to the vessel, and means fordrawing off vapors from the chamber, the end brush members being spacedfrom the ends of the chamber to provide collection spaces in the ends ofthe vessel.

' EDWARD C. D'YARMETT.

